Cherry Blossom Moon
by Kaiser Ryouga II
Summary: After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Geese Howard, Moe Habana re-evaluates herself and begins a journey of self-discovery. (Discontinued)


Cherry Blossom Moon

-------------------

"...Dammit..."

With a tired and withdrawn sigh, Moe Habana wiped the rogue beads of sweat from her soiled brow. But as she pulled her hand away, she noticed that thicker red substance coating her fist. 

Blood. 

Rather than worry about it, she tightened the grip of her fist and resumed her normal fighting stance. There was no way in hell that she was going to give it up now. Not after coming all this way. Not after competing and winning the hellish tournament that was King of Fighters. 

With a new determination, Moe's eyes locked down on her enemy. The one man who had started this farce of a tourney and attempted to resurrect that fearsome Orochi power once again.

Geese Howard. The emperor of Southtown and one of the most feared martial artists on earth. All the stories that Moe had heard about him were true. His power was fearsome. The rage behind his destructive Reppuken was legendary. But just now, the Habana girl started to realize just how accurate those legends were. 

While Moe contemplated the enemy before her, Geese looked on in devilish anticipation. Everything was going according to plan. The Japan Hero team had come to victory. Kyo Kusanagi was doing battle with Iori Yagami in the lower levels of the complex, and as soon as Iori was pushed to the limit, that ravenous Orochi blood running through his veins would be unleashed. 

_"With that power in my hands..."_ Geese thought darkly. _"Nobody on the face of this earth will stand a chance against me...but before I receive my deserving status of Godhood, I must crush this puny gnat..."_

Moe pulled out of her reverie enough to concentrate on the task at hand. Defeating this madman before his ambition laid waste to the world. 

The Way of the Slicing Fist's master grinned arrogantly, and tightened her fighting stance. "You ready, Howard? I guess you haven't taken on a Slicing Fist master before, huh?"

The King of Southtown crossed his arms. "You are weak, little girl. I can see you trembling in fear already...I can't believe a tiny little ant like you won the tournament."

"Don't be deceived by this cute package." Moe chirped. "I've whipped more butts than you could imagine! And you're next in line!"

"I hear so much talk, but I see so little action. Come on..."

Moe quivered a little when her plan had been caught out. Kyo had his hands full with Iori in the lower levels and Benimaru been knocked out during the confusion of Iori's return. It was sort of hopeless to be waiting for help like this, but for Moe this was just a reflex action. 

But no more. 

She was in this on her own and that was the way it was going to end. At least if she was going to die, Moe would die as fighter. Bracing her leg back, Moe fastened her fighting stance and locked eyes on her overwhelming target. 

"Let's do this, Howard!" Moe yelled. 

Without further delay, Moe's feet did the thinking for her as she rushed towards the mighty Geese. But rather than prepare to counter her advances, the master fighter remained stationary, watching the young woman approach him. Moe hopped into the air, leaning back and gathering her momentum. When she reached the right distance, Moe swung her curved leg through the air, towards Geese's solar plexus. With an assumed chuckled, Geese coolly brought up his left arm and blocked the attack. 

Moe's eyes widened in shock. _"Holy cow! How did he...?"_

With a fierce growl, Geese pulled away his defensive arm and grabbed Moe by the waist. Using a slight burst of his Hakkyokuseiken skills, the crime boss span his arms around sharply, and flung Moe away with lightning quick speed. The young girl cried out as she was hurled into the air, and grunted deeply as she crashed into the wooden floor of the temple. 

Geese crossed his arms once more. "For all your talk about 'the power of the Slicing Fist' I was expecting a more testing challenge, child. This pitiful performance is unworthy of my time."

Gritting her teeth, Moe pulled herself back into a standing position. "You've got some flash, Howard. You'll never understand the Slicing Fist arts...never..."

Again, Moe pulled herself back onto her feet and charged at Geese. It was his arrogance that annoyed Moe the most. And she was going to make him pay for it. Moe lunged forward with her arm in a tight back strike form attempting to knock Geese back. Geese himself uncrossed his arms a slid to one side of the girl, and precisely kicked her to the side of her waist. Moe gasped and clutched at that spot, but only cried out again as Geese's fist crashed against the side of her face. Instantly she felt something crack, and before Geese could follow up that blow with another, Moe back flipped away from his wrath. 

As soon as her feet came to a positive stop, Moe placed her hand at her cheek. A thick trail of blood was lining her brow, and one of her back teeth had been dislodged. All of that from one punch. 

Geese bellowed in laughter as he saw that twinkle of fear in Moe's eyes. "Heh, heh, heh...I'll stain my hands...with your blood..."

Even though Geese knew that this girl was about ready to crack, Moe adopted another loose fighting stance. She was outgunned, but her spirit was as strong as ever. After rubbing the blood free from her brow, Moe rushed towards Geese. Every muscle in her body tensed and her mindset focused down on the task at hand. The defeat of this madman. When the momentum of Moe's stride reached its zenith, the Slicing Fist master jumped into the air, and spun her body forwards, branching her leg out and whipping up circular crescent of blossom-like beauty. 

Even though Moe couldn't see Geese clearly from her position in the air, she could easily tell that she had managed to hit him. With an amused grin, the girl landed a few metres from Geese, and melted back into her fighting status. 

"Heh, heh, heh!" Moe chortled heavy-heartedly. "Not so tough now, eh Howard? Heh, heh, heh!"

The force of Moe's Steam Blast somersault kick had managed to push Geese back a little by a few inches, but as his head rose to look back at Moe, the most relaxed of grins was plastered over his face.

"That...was pathetic." Growled Geese, his fist beginning to tighten. "Your skill leaves much to be desired..."

That annoyed Moe to no extent. "What the heck is that supposed to mean!? I'm not gonna lose to the likes of you, Geese!"

That was it. Although Kyo was unknowingly doing the job for him, bringing back and harnessing the Orochi power was the priority for Geese. This little girl was not important even in the least. It was time for her to die...

Placing his feet firmly on the ground, Geese gathered up all traces of his massive Chi, and focused it into his hands. The floorboards of the dojo cracked in thin streaks as the weight of Geese's energy was making itself known. Moe looked on in horror. She knew what was coming next. A master like Geese using this level of attack meant only one thing. 

His intent was to kill. 

Only one person, Terry Bogard, had ever lived or sustained consciousness after being hit by such a relentless force. The fervent power of the Reppuken blast. As the power within Geese reach fever pitch, the intent fighter swung his arm into the air, creating volatile blast of crystal blue energy. 

"Reppuken!"

The Reppuken blast quickly darted along the ground, carving up the pine-polished floorboards of Geese's dojo, and travelled towards Moe. Her eyes went wide with shock and acted instinctively, diving out of the way before the Chi-attack ripped her in half. The blast crashed into the banister just behind Moe, creating a huge explosion of force. The air pressure of the bang knocked Moe off balance, and as she tried desperately to steady herself while moving through the air. Moe's knees slid along the ground with her arm wrapped around her waist. Even though she didn't realize it before, Geese had cracked one of her ribs with that previous kick. 

As the smoke faded, Moe looked at the damage. _"...What a horrible power..."_

But before she even had time to acclimate herself, Geese appeared before her with his evil speed and drove his iron fist sternly into Moe's stomach. The brunette wheezed for breath, the wind knocked out of her. And as easily as that, Moe started to lose consciousness, with Geese's condescending laugh ringing in her ears...

Moe offered a few last words before she slipped way. "...I'll...get you...for this..."   

Another dark smile hinged at Geese's lips whilst Moe lost her strength. Just like every other fighter. Talked a good game, but in the end, she came up short. Geese's laughter continued until he heard the distant address of another fighter...

With the raging flame surging around his left hand, Kyo Kusanagi grinned confidently at Geese, his face trickled with beads of sweat and his clothes ripped in part. Obviously from his battle with Iori. 

"Nice work!" Kyo quipped sardonically. "You kicked the crap out of a young girl who you knew was no match for you. You should be so proud."

Geese looked back at Kyo, in the doorway to the dojo. "So...you survived the battle with Iori, eh?"

Kyo clenched his fist and his bright flame died down. "That's right. I know you wanted to unlock his Orochi blood again. Unfortunately for you, that isn't going to happen."

With an amused grin, Geese turned away from Moe and faced the Kusanagi descendant, the man fought off the unholy God that was Orochi...

"Then show me..." Geese demanded. "Show me the skill that can resist the Blood of Orochi..."  

**********

"...G-Gee...Geese!" 

Crying out from her dreams, Moe jerked up from her sleep. A sleep that was bothering her with the most jarring of thoughts. The brunette groaned. She had sustained some injury. Now that she looked at herself, her ribs had been bandaged and her original clothes were gone. Now she was wrapped up in the backless smock of a hospital patient. Sure enough, as Moe looked around, she caught onto the fact that she was in a hospital. Though she had no idea how she got here. In fact she remembered nothing after her battle with Geese. 

As soon as that name came into her mind, Moe stirred a little. And she was struggling to understand it.

_"That...damn...Geese...Argh!..."_ Moe held her ribcage, trying hard not to move it too much. _"I was useless in that battle..."_

Though it would seem childish to some, Moe could not stand the thought of being outclassed in such a manner. Never before had Moe been so humiliated on the battlefield. Geese was just toying with her...

Before she got too wrapped up in her thoughts, a familiar face strode up to Moe's hospital bed, sporting a fresh set of finely cut white roses. "Hey, Habana! You're looking a little under the weather!"

Moe looked up to the side to see whom it was that was talking to her. Without surprise it was none other than Benimaru Nikaido. 

"Benimaru?" Moe was surprised to hear how weak she sounded. "What are you doing here?"

The shooting-master raised an eyebrow. "What's that mean? I am here to see how you are. We did team together in the tournament, and more bluntly...I could never leave a damsel in distress."

Moe smiled a little. "Thanks...I appreciate that. So...where's Kyo?"

Benimaru's fey disposition took a serious note. "Kyo...he took that fight with Iori hard. I think he was worried about that Orochi power coming back. Destiny can be cruel."

"Did he defeat Geese?" Moe asked.

"Nah, that rat snuck away as soon as he realized that Iori had lost the Orochi blood. What kind of maniac ignites that kind of power after seeing the amount of destruction it could bring?"

Moe sighed. Geese had gotten away. But more pressing than that, her pride had been bruised by her degrading defeat. 

Benimaru was wary when he saw that glint of anger in Moe's eyes. "Are you okay? You don't seem..."

"I swear..." Moe seethed. "...I'll get back at Geese for this..."

**********

Kaiser's Afterthoughts 

* My first KOF fic! It's based around King of Fighters EX mainly because I like Moe so much. I'd be happy to see more of her in future KOF games, maybe build up some more of her storyline. Anyways, I'll be posting more chapters to this story soon, if I get positive feedback. 


End file.
